McNair Scholars Research Journal
Abstract
Latinos, or individuals from the Caribbean, South America, and Central America (Santiago, 1996), are affected by a wide variety of health issues, and in particular, obesity. In the United States alone, more than 40% of Latino adults are obese, and almost 23% of Latino children between the ages of 2 to 19 suffer from obesity (Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014). Latinos are ranked second behind African Americans in obesity rates in the United States (Ogden et al., 2014). This literature review will examine the historical and socio-economic factors that contribute to the high obesity rates for Latinos in Detroit, Michigan, and discuss how living in low income areas can affect access to healthy food options.